Declare Monga-hit northern dists as distressed area

Leaders of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) and Bangladesher Workers Party (BWP) at a press conference here Tuesday evening alleged that the government has failed to tackle the Monga (pre-harvest jobless period). It is a recurring phenomenon but the government in its four-year rule did not take any effective programme for its solution.

They also urged the government and NGOs to suspend realisation of loan at least for three months.

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BSD Convener Khalequzzaman and Bangladesher Workers Party Convener Saiful Huq addressed the press conference at Gaibandha Press Club after visiting some Monga-affected areas in Gaibandha and Rangpur.

Khalequzzaman alleged that no government so far took any step for a permanent solution of monga.

He said around 30 lakh people in greater Rangpur and Dinajpur are passing days virtually unfed. Government's VGF programme covers a small faction of the vast multitude of starving people.

Moreover there is anomaly and nepotism in distribution of VGF cards, he alleged. The destitute people are deprived of cards and at places people are to 'purchase' those, he said. He also demanded monitoring of the programme. The price spiral has aggravated the situation, he said.

The government can promote setting up of agro-based industries in northern districts by utilising cheap labour but there is no such plan, the speakers said. Out of the country's total population, 54 percent are farm labourers, they noted.